Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

Saw Horses used for assembly stands

5 views
Skip to first unread message

spaco

unread,
Oct 5, 2009, 11:51:31 PM10/5/09
to
Some years ago I needed a good way to support steel bars that were to be
welded, collared, etc.. to make gates and railings.
Things needed to be really flat for several reasons, which, I'm sure
are obvious to most of you.
I used some saw horses that I have had in my shop for years, but it
was hard to keep them from moving since the floor was not perfectly
flat. Also, as I moved around the area with my helmet on, I'd
occassionally kick a leg and knock the whole thing out of alignment. To
get things perfectly level, I had to constantly be shimming the
components, by as little as 25 thou here and there to make up for all
the variables.
I chose to make some adjustable 3-Legged saw horses which solved the
uneven floor problem and eliminated the need for shims. By uneven, I
mean uneven by only a sixteenth of an inch or so in 4 feet.
My mentor Bob Walsh, from Pepin Wisconsin also showed me how to make
and use "winding sticks" to make certain that both beams of the saw
horses were parallel (in the same plane).

Here's where you can learn more about it:

http://www.spaco.org/Blacksmithing/3LeggedSawHorses/3LeggedSawHorses.htm

Pete Stanaitis
---------------------------

Brian Lawson

unread,
Oct 6, 2009, 12:28:59 AM10/6/09
to
Hey Pete,

Thanks for that. Good idea. I don't see how this will keep anyone
from "tripping" over a leg, but for many of the jobs I do they are a
good idea just the same.

It took me quite a ways into the details to realize that the term
"winding" is not as in "to wind" like fishing reel, but as "wind" like
in a breeze. This is one of the planes of wood distortion as in wind,
warp, and woof although many other words are synonymous.

Thanks again.

Brian Lawson,
Bothwell, Ontario.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

On Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:51:31 -0500, spaco <sp...@baldwin-telecom.net>
wrote:

Gunner Asch

unread,
Oct 6, 2009, 12:50:36 AM10/6/09
to
On Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:51:31 -0500, spaco <sp...@baldwin-telecom.net>
wrote:

>Some years ago I needed a good way to support steel bars that were to be


Very nice! Saved for building.

Of course...after welding..we only have to worry about bending out all
the warpages.

Gunner

Political Correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional,
illogical liberal minority, and rabidly promoted by an
unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the
proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.

cavelamb

unread,
Oct 6, 2009, 1:06:07 AM10/6/09
to

When assembling my wings, I just put a blob of Bondo under the legs and
leveled them. It breaks loose easily when you are done.

Jim Wilkins

unread,
Oct 6, 2009, 7:31:26 AM10/6/09
to
On Oct 6, 1:06 am, cavelamb <cavel...@earthlink.net> wrote:
> spaco wrote:
> > Some years ago I needed a good way to support steel bars that were to be
> > welded, collared, etc.. to make gates and railings.
> >   Things needed to be really flat for several reasons, which, I'm sure
> > are obvious to most of you.


I used planks held in B&D Workmates to weld scaffold frames on a
rutted and sloping driveway. With the tops of both planks level and
parallel the frames built on them were flat even though one plank was
half a foot lower than the other.

jsw

RoyJ

unread,
Oct 6, 2009, 7:53:23 AM10/6/09
to
Nope, it's 'winding' like the fishing reel. As in there is no 'wind' or
spiral to the whole thing. I used them regularly to adjust my chainsaw
lumber mill for the first cut. It take out the spiral but also works
great to get things flat between one end and the other. I commonly put
one stick every 4' or so on a 16' plank.

spaco

unread,
Oct 6, 2009, 12:14:49 PM10/6/09
to
That sounds like a good idea, too. I already have 2 B&D workmates, so
that would be easy for me to do.

Pete Stanaitis
-----------------

spaco

unread,
Oct 6, 2009, 12:25:55 PM10/6/09
to
Good point. I still can trip over the legs, but since there are only
three legs, the things still don't wobble. And, since these steel
horses are quite a bit heavier than their wooden counterparts, they tend
to stay still better. Lastly, since there are only three legs, you have
a 25% better chance of missing a leg with a toe.
This may not be a problem for many of you, but I have wear a size 14
1/2 shoe, and, when I'm really into what I'm doing, I don't pay enough
attention to where my feet are.

Pete Stanaitis
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brian Lawson wrote:

> Hey Pete,
>
> Thanks for that. Good idea. I don't see how this will keep anyone
> from "tripping" over a leg, but for many of the jobs I do they are a
> good idea just the same.

--------------------------

KD7HB

unread,
Oct 6, 2009, 1:39:59 PM10/6/09
to

Yes, very interesting and useful.

I can see how the vertical leg is attached, but can't quite make out
how you attached the two back legs. Care to elaborate?

Paul

spaco

unread,
Oct 6, 2009, 6:01:01 PM10/6/09
to
Sorry, Paul. Although I hadn't meant this to be an actual construction
article, I knew in the back of my mind that I could have done better.
So I have added the detail that I think you will need.

Go to the same place:
>>http://www.spaco.org/Blacksmithing/3LeggedSawHorses/3LeggedSawHorses.htm

Thanks for the "heads up",
Pete Stanaitis

KD7HB

unread,
Oct 6, 2009, 10:03:56 PM10/6/09
to

That is what is needed. Looks like the back legs could just be pinned
with a cotter or something to keep the pin in place. Probably a little
more surdy with a through bolt.

Paul

0 new messages